A Walk to Remember - [F1 - Daniel Ricciardo]

Chapter 19

Authors Note: Surprise Chapter Drop!
Enjoy! Please vote to show that you want the next chapter soon! Would love to keep hearing your thoughts. 💛
I do have a playlist I have used while writing this story, if your curious about it. Let me know!

   Scarlett got home after the long day at the race track and got her student back to school and home with their parents. She wandered up the stairs to her apartment and when she got to her door, there were some flowers waiting with a note. She picked it up and read it. 
     'Looking forward to tonight, it is a fancy event, so dress your best, I'll pick you up at 6 - Liam'
     Scarlett panicked realizing it was 5 pm and picked up the flowers, not her favourite flowers, but she placed them on her counter and ran to her closet. She rifled through her dresses, hoping to find something that would be acceptable for the banquet tonight.
     She found a simple fitted black dress, that flared out just past her hips. It had an illusion neckline, high collar and flutter sleeves. It was just classy enough for a cocktail event and still showed off her curves without being too flashy or indecent.

     She went to her bathroom and put some soft curls in her hair and a dewy makeup look that highlighted and contoured just the right places on her face. She wanted an elevated natural look. After all, she didn't know if she would run into Daniel at this banquet or if it would just be Liam and all his fiance-bro coworkers.
     The buzzer to her apartment rang, she slipped on a pair of strappy black heels and ran down to meet Liam. Liam had a black Towncar waiting for them, she slid in and Liam followed after.
     "You look incredible" he smiled.
      Scarlett smiled "You clean up well" She laughed.
      The car pulled up to a gorgeous restaurant, with big black arched windows, and ornate stonework around them. Of course, there were photographers lining the street waiting for the guests to enter the banquet. Scarlett rolled her eyes, this was insane she thought. Her hands started to get a little sweaty as Liam got out of the car and held his hand to assist her. She quickly wiped her hands on the seat as she got out. She took his hand and quickly let go once she was on the pavement.
      He held out his arm and she took it as they ascended the stairs to the entrance. A couple of photographers snapped a couple of photos as they walked in.
     The doors opened and revealed a gorgeous room with black and white marble floors, chandeliers and sleek wood tables spread out around the room. With a small stage at the far end and a large bar that spread along the far wall.
     "Let's find our seats," Liam said as he walked them over to the seating chart. "Ah, there we are," He said as he turned and led them to their seats.
     He pulled out her seat to allow her to sit. Liam insisted on making small talk for 15 minutes and it all had to do with his work and the big raise he just got. Scarlett smiled and listened until she needed a break. "Liam, would you mind getting us some drinks?" She asked.
      "Oh," He said pulling him out of his monologue about work. "Sure can, what would you like?" He asked.
     "I'd like a glass of red wine, Cab Sav, please," She said without hesitation.
     He nodded and stood up and wandered to the bar. Scarlett looked around the room the door to the restaurant opened and in walked Charles and Pierre looking very sleek in their black suits. They looked at each other and said something, laughed then their eyes scanned the room. Scarlett looked away quickly so they didn't think she was staring at them, which she obviously was.
      Charles caught her eyes first. They widened and he nudged Pierre and pointed in her direction. They started walking over, and all the other guests at this party watched them walk through the room. When they reached her table, her ears were burning red from the stares of everyone and all of the girls in skimpy cocktail dresses staring daggers at her.
      She stood up as they approached and gave them a quick hug. "Hey Guys" she smiled.
      "Hey Scarlett, We didn't expect to see you here" Charles laughed.
      "You guys just can't get rid of me" Scarlett awkwardly laughed. She was starting to feel very out of place at this event.
       "We don't want to get rid of you" Pierre smiled and placed her hand on her shouljder.
      Scarlett could feel the gazes of the girls deepen when Pierre touched her. She smiled sheepishly "Thanks," Her eyes drifted to the doors as Daniel entered with the blonde clinging to his arm. She looked back to Charles and Pierre, her face fell a bit. "I know someone who probably doesn't want me to be here tonight," She said as her eyes quickly darted to Daniel and then back.
     Liam came over with her glass of red wine and handed it to her. He placed his hand over Scarlett's shoulder very territorially, "Hey fellas" He said with a grin and shook their hands rather aggressively.
     They shook his hand, then returned their attention to Scarlett. Pierre looked down at her drink. "Did you switch your drink of choice?" he smile as he gestured to her wine glass.
     Scarlett laughed "I guess I have," She said as her face fell a little. She glanced at Liam who was still standing there with a puffed chest. "I don't want to keep you guys, go enjoy your night or go talk to who you need to" She smiled and gave each of them a quick hug.
      They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways to talk to the members of their teams.
      Liam and Scarlett sat down at their table and talked to the others sitting at their table. One of the ladies at the table was very curious about how the two of them knew the drivers personally.
     "Kyle my sister's husband and my roommate in university, competed in formula three with a lot of these guys, so we got to know them pretty well at the wedding a couple of months ago" he explained.
      For Scarlett the dots finally connected on how Kyle and the drivers knew each other, she nodded along with the story, trying to pretend that she knew what Liam was going to say.
      She finished her glass of wine and slipped out of her seat and headed to the bar to order another drink. She noticed Max and Kelly at the bar and she walked up to them. "Hey you two," She said with a smile.
     "Hey! Max said he saw you the other day, I was bummed that I didn't get to say hi," Kelly said as she enveloped Scarlett in a warm hug.
      Scarlett smiled "it's great to see you" She happily, "Can't believe this guy and his generosity" Scarlett added.
      "Don't sound so shocked" Max laughed in defence.
      "Offering to bring my entire class to the paddock, is a very nice and kind gesture," She said giving him a look that said to just take the compliment.
      "Under this tough exterior, is a sweet guy" Kelly agreed.
      "Definitely, but it looks like some speeches are about to start, I should grab my drink and go back to my table," She said.
       "Let me get your drink," Max said as he flagged the bartender down. "Can I get a tequila on the rocks please"
       "Sorry, Max but can I get a red wine instead?" She interrupted him.
      "Oh, totally, I just assumed..." He trailed off.
      "It's okay, Monaco brought out the tequila side of me" Scarlett laughed and looked back to Liam. "Back in the real world, I like red wine," She said as she looked back to smile at the happy couple, her eyes drifted behind them and she noticed Daniel looking in her direction. "Thanks for the drink," She said quickly.
      Kelly and Max exchanged a glance that Scarlett couldn't place, then she turned and made her way back to Liam. She placed a quick kiss on his cheek as she sat down. Hoping Daniel may still have his eyes on her, she needed to show him that she moved on. If he didn't want her, he needed to know that she didn't need him.
      The speeches were long and boring, and Scarlett tried her best to not zone out too badly during them. The dinner was fabulous, and after dessert, Scarlett excused herself to use the bathroom.
      She pushed open the large wooden door into the women's bathroom. She quickly walked behind a group of young women who were fixing their makeup and talking about the drivers who were in attendance. She rolled her eyes and entered a stall.
      When she exited the stall, she went to the far end of the row of sinks. She placed her clutch down on the marble countertop and washed her hands. Scarlett then crossed behind the remaining woman to get a towel to dry her hands. Before she could grab a towel, one of the women stepped in front of her blocking her way.
       Scarlett looked up to see who it was, she sighed when she looked up and saw the blonde who she had seen with Daniel. "Excuse me," Scarlett said politely, not wanting any drama. She tried to step around the blonde but wasn't able to.
      "Please, tell me who the hell you are" The blonde snapped.
       "Uh," Scarlett stammered, unsure of why she was being spoken to this way. "Scarlett?" She said hesitantly.
      "Well, Scarlett is it? First I see you trying to talk to my boyfriend in the paddock, now you are here, it would be best to stay away from him." She snapped again.
      Scarlett now was getting angry, she hated to be spoken to this way, she hadn't done anything wrong, "Sorry?" Scarlett responded straightening her posture.
      "You heard me-" She almost yelled. But she was cut off by her phone binging and vibrating like crazy. She picked it up and held out a finger to Scarlett.
      Scarlett scoffed at the sight of the blonde demanding her to wait to be scolded. She reached around grabbed a towel and dried her hands. Turned and went back to the sink to touch up her red lipstick.
     "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME" The blonde screeched.
      Scarlett's eyes widened and she looked at the blonde.
      The blonde slowly looked up from her phone to meet Scarlett's wide eyes. "You. Have. Got. To. Be. Fucking. Kidding. Me." She paused. "YOU?" She yelled.
     Scarlett took a step back towards the door. Hoping to get out of this weird situation.
     "Don't go anywhere, you have to explain this!" She yelled holding her phone up to Scarlett.
      Scarlett looked at the phone, her face went white. A video played with a montage of photos of Scarlett and Daniel from the week in Monaco. Some of them were from the beach, running down the street, them kissing on the yacht, and the video ended with a photo of them at the wedding, holding the bouquet and the garter. The amazing feeling of that time in Monaco was met with the crushing lonely feeling of being rejected and ignored by Daniel.
     "Well, explain yourself" the blonde demanded.
     "There isn't anything to explain," Scarlett said confidently.
      "Whatever" The Blonde yelled as she stuffed her phone back into her purse. She looked back up at Scarlett. "Just stay away from Daniel, he is mine!" She screamed angrily at her.
      Scarlett exhaled as she walked towards the door, "I don't care about him, he clearly doesn't care about me, you can have him" She said loudly over her shoulder as she exited the bathroom.
      As she stepped into the hallway and looked up to meet Daniel's eyes. She stopped in her tracks for a moment. She shook her head and gave him a disappointed looked and walked down the hall to where she could see Liam waiting for her. She was so fed up with how she just was treated. She confidently walked right up to Liam and pulled him in for a kiss. Liam wrapped his hands around her waist, allowing one hand to slip and grab her ass. Scarlett quickly grabbed his hand off her butt, "Let's go back to my place" She whispered into his ear. Causing Liam to grin and nod like a teenage boy.
      Still holding his hand she walked Liam to the door. She looked over her shoulder her hair flipping confidently, only to see Daniel getting a lecture from the blonde outside of the bathroom. He quickly looked in her direction. Scarlett raised her eyebrows at him in a taunting manner and turned smoothly and exited the restaurant.
      She always had the instinct to use revenge as a coping mechanism, and tonight walking away from Daniel hurt, but seeing him getting yelled at by that crazy blonde made her feel a bit better.
      Scarlett woke up in her bed, she looked over and Liam was also in her bed. She shook her head and quietly got out of bed and found her phone still in her clutch. She had multiple messages in her group chat with Thomas and Mia. She quickly opened them. She read through all of them to catch herself up. They were excitedly talking about the photos that were published in the Magazine.
      She responded to her friends and then realized she needed to get to work. She shook Liam awake and then ran to get ready.
      Liam drove her to work on his way to the paddock, and her morning went smoothly until Jenny approached her when the rest of the class went outside for Lunch.
      "Miss Fisher?" Jenny said as she walked up to Scarletts' desk. "Ben said you didn't know Daniel Ricciardo the other day when we were at the track, but can you explain this?" Jenny asked as she turned her phone towards her. A photo of Daniel and Scarlett at the wedding reception holding the bouquet and the garter. Both grinning from ear to ear and his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her in close.
       Scarlett swallowed hard, "Jenny where did you get this photo?" She asked.
       "It was published in People's Magazine," She said, "My mom recognized you when she get her digital copy last night," She said excitedly.
       "Oh, It's a long story, Jenny, I'm not going to go into details" She laughed awkwardly.
      "Well, the way he looked at you when you walked away, said a lot to me," Jenny said raising her eyebrows.
      "Thanks for the kind words Jenny, but I am not going to discuss this with you, go enjoy your Lunch. Also, you know the rules about phones, put your phone away." She said as she stood up and walked Jenny to the door, leading her outside and shutting the door behind her.  She sighed as the door closed. 
       A knock on her classroom door made her chest tighten as Mr. Garnier the principal and Mark Stevens her boss from her journalism job entered her classroom, looking rather serious.